This invention is concerned with a molding and hardening machine for pasta filata cheese, adapted to be connected to a pasta filata stretching machine, for the production of mozzarella or provolone in cylinder shapes.
Continuous stretching and molding machines are known for producing mozzarella and provolone in cylindrical shapes, wherein one or more molding tubes are filled and emptied in turn with pasta filata at respective filling and delivery stations, the tubes being displaced by means of alternating slides or rotating carrousels. In either case the cylindrical cheeses delivered by the tube, being still warm and therefore plastic, have to be collected into stiff containers, where they are held during their hardening, which is generally effected by dipping in cold water. After hardening, the cheeses are shaken out of their containers for subsequent further processing, such as salting, and are finally packaged for marketing or for aging.
The above steps of moving the cheeses into and out of said stiff containers are time-consuming, labor-demanding, and require a large number of said containers for prolonged stocking of a given batch of production in cold water. The operations involved are toilsome for the workmen and the hourly production is limited by the awkwardness of the manual steps.